Mzembi in UNWTO offensive

Herald Correspondent
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi, is in the United States to mobilise support following his nomination as the country’s candidate to the position of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General.

The post falls vacant next year.

Minister Mzembi has also been endorsed by the Southern African Development Community to contest for the UNWTO top post.

Reports say Minister Mzembi and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Washington DC Cde Amon Mutembwa and senior officials, paid a courtesy call on the US State Department where they met Mr Todd Haskell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and other senior officials in the department.

According to the programme seen by this paper, Minister Mzembi later addressed a highly subscribed Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) meeting on “Destination Africa: The Future of African Tourism”.

He had discussions with a conglomerate of US private sector, business and public policy experts on the tourism sector.

CCA, a leading Washington think tank, brings together public and private sectors in the US and seeks to promote business and investment between the United States and Africa.

The organisation is the premier American institution devoted to US-Africa business relations and has over 180 companies, which represent nearly 85 percent of total US private and public sector investments in Africa.

CCA’s members range from America’s smallest to the largest corporations.

“It represents a diverse pool of industries from Africa’s most promising sectors, including agribusiness, capacity building, energy, finance, health, ICT, infrastructure and security.

“The Corporate Council on Africa is a key resource mobiliser for conducting successful business in Africa.

“It works closely with governments, multilateral groups and businesses to improve Africa’s trade and investment climate and to raise the profile of Africa in the US business community,” said a official close to the developments.

CCA acquired the Africa Travel Association (ATA), a major organisation that deals with promotion of tourism relationships between Africa and the US recently.

Minister Mzembi is a three-time past President of the then New York-based Association.

CCA president and chief executive, Mr Stephen Hayes, is understood to be consulting Minister Mzembi on the future structure of ATA under its new CCA configuration.

According to the source close to the deliberations, Minister Mzembi impressed the CCA capacity audience with several companies having offered to work with him in exploiting opportunities in Africa.

“He spoke convincingly on the need to configure CCA-ATA in a manner that responds to the tourism growth trajectory and aspirations of African countries.

“The Minister suggested the consummation of a structure that dovetails into African Union Agenda 2063 with a recommendation on the devolution of emerging CCA-ATA structure into an African Secretariat based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“Currently, Africa’s global tourism market share oscillates from three to five percent and Minister Mzembi shared his vision for a double digit market share for African tourism by the year 2030 on the back of a cocktail of proposals he has advanced to the AU in his capacity as the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa Chairperson.”

Minister Mzembi also heads for Dallas, Texas where he is a participant and an invited guest to the UNWTO/WTTC 16th Global Summit.

He will participate in the Ministerial Dialogue with other ministers around the globe and chief executive officers.

“The Hon Minister will further participate in Public and Private Business Policy discussions from an international, regional and national perspectives.

“He is expected to address Zimbabwe Diaspora community in Dallas Texas who have constituted themselves into a Diaspora Chamber of Commerce and they have expressed interest to promote Zimbabwe as Honourary Trade Counselors.

“In addition, the Minister will cape off his visit in New York where he will address a meeting of diplomats accredited to the United Nations where he will share his vision on tourism development.”